a r t i c l e i n f o Available online xxxx JEL classification: I12 I18 R12 C51 Keywords: Health outcomes Hospital efficiency Trade-off effectiveness/efficiency We study the presence and the magnitudes of trade-offs between health outcomes and hospitals' efficiency using a data set from Lombardy, Italy, for the period 2008–2011. Our goal is to analyze whether the pressures for cost containment ...

This paper reports on a re-evaluation of the German health care reform of 1997. A previous evaluation found a limited effect of a 4.4 percent reduction of the number of doctor visits in a sample of pharmacy customers. The re-evaluation based on a representative household survey, the German Socio-Economic Panel, yields a much larger effect. The paper uses this case study to discuss the methods a...

We use an OLG model with heterogenous agents who choose how much to spend on their health under health uncertainty in order to study the effect of transitioning from a system with private health insurance for young agents and Medicare for old agents to a system with health savings accounds (HSAs) for young agents and Medicare for the old. We focus on possible cost savings, the effects on output...

Previous work has shown that preferences are not always stable across time, but surprisingly little is known about the reasons for this instability. I examine whether variation in people's emotions over time predicts changes risk attitudes. Using a large-panel dataset, identify happiness, anger, and fear as significant correlates of within-person Robustness checks indicate limited role alternat...

In the present paper we describe the structure of the Chinese health care system and sketch its future development. We analyse issues of provider incentives and the actual burden sharing between government, enterprises and people. We further aim to identify a number of current problems and link these to a discussion of future challenges in the form of an aging population, increased privatizatio...

Introduction: National guidelines for cutaneous melanoma suggest avoiding sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) if the risk of SLN positivity is <5% (T1a with no high-risk features), considering SLNB 5-10% additional features (T1aHR) and T1b), offering >10% (T2-T4). Because most patients (88%) who undergo an have a negative result, novel tools to identify can safely forgo are critical. The in...

I specify an econometric model to estimate the causal effects of environmental factors on individuals’ life-cycle health outcome, and outline a semiparametric control function approach to test and correct for the possible selectivity bias that may arise due to endogenous choice of residence by individuals. I show how to map Union Army Sample data to elements of this model in practice. JEL Class...

We briefly review previous work on the invariant theory of 3 × 3 × 3 arrays. We then recall how to generate arrays of arbitrary size m1 × · · · × mk with hyperdeterminant 0. Our main result is an explicit formula for the 3 × 3 × 3 hyperdeterminant as a polynomial in the fundamental invariants I6, I9, I12 for the action of the Lie group SL3(C)× SL3(C)× SL3(C). We apply our calculations to Nurmie...

The Supply of Child Labour The paper develops a theoretical framework, and a diagrammatic apparatus, for explaining the supply of child labour. It examines the effect of credit, insurance, and poverty (defined as more than just low income). It also explains bonded child labour, a modern form of slavery closely associated with the worst forms of child exploitation. The analysis is positive, but ...